Francis Eugene Wood, Jr. Obituary

Francis Eugene Wood, Jr., age 68, noted Virginia author and WFLO radio personality, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on Monday, August 21, in Charlottesville. He was the son of the late Mary Edna Clabo Wood and Francis Eugene Wood of Buckingham, Virginia. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Chris Wood; his brother, Dwight Wood (Lisa) of Powhatan; his sister, Sandra Parker (Baker) of Suffolk; sons, Camden Wood of Keysville and Daniel W. Kopczynski (Chris) of Richmond; stepdaughters, Laura Eways (Frank) of Charlottesville and Kate Todt (Brian) of Lake Monticello; stepson, Trey Hicks (Meg) of Chesterfield; four grandchildren, Hayden, Lleyton, Lylah, and Harrison; niece Cassidy Wood, nephew Morgan Wood, aunts and uncles, many cousins, other family members, and his loyal companion, Idgi.

His life was filled with so many interests, including his love of music and the joy and fun he brought to people through his various bands, including the Lanquids and Bermuda High. He loved playing the guitar. He shared his beautiful and soothing voice through the airwaves for 52 years, 50 of them at WFLO in Farmville. Francis became a member of the Virginia Association of Broadcasters (VAB) family and served as president for two years. He was the recipient of the prestigious C.T. Lucy award from the VAB and became a lifetime member. Francis was inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame and, more recently, the Prince Edward Academy/Fuqua School Nancy Haga Forensics Hall of Fame. In July, the WFLO/AM broadcast studio was named in his honor. His dedication to serving his community was unwavering, as he was a member of the Board of Directors at Centra Southside Community Hospital for 18 years and served on the Board of Directors at the Moton Museum. Francis was a prolific storyteller who started writing at an early age and developed a style of his own that evolved through his Tip-of-the-Moon Publishing Company he and his wife, Chris, established in 1996, with 48 titles to date. His books won printing awards, and he was named Reader’s Choice by the Farmville Herald for three straight years. Francis was an advocate for community service, he was a devoted father and husband, loved his Lord, and was not a stranger to anyone. His personality was as radiant as his smile. Francis Wood was a quiet gentleman who listened, observed and spoke with humility and wisdom. His love of nature-camping, fishing, hunting and hiking the Blue Ridge Mountains was so much a joyful part of his life. He became a Master Naturalist. He was free in the forest. All who knew him loved him. He left a wonderful legacy and will never be forgotten.

A celebration of his life will be held on Sunday, September 3, 2 p.m. at the Fuqua upper school gymnasium in Farmville, with a reception to follow in the G. Price Center. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the ALS Hope Foundation, P.O. Box 40777, Philadelphia, PA 19107; Southside SPCA, 7352 Patrick Henry Highway, Meherrin, VA 23954; or the charity of your choice. Puckett Funeral Home in Farmville is serving the Wood family. www.puckettfh.com.